Cigarette lighter



1936. L. K. DAVIS 2,052,Q16

CIGARETTE LIGHTER Original Filed June 29, 1931 =1 Fig. 1.. 1 6 1 1 5 '9 l 19 l M 25 V7. E 7 23 11 m lumunmlm 5 "I INVENTOR- LINCOLN K. DAVIS,

TORNEY- Patented Aug. 25, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Original application June 29, 1931, Serial No. 547,471. Divided and this application January 31, 1933, Serial No. 654,418

7 Claims.

My invention relates particularly to electrically actuated lighters and this application is a division from 547,471, filed June 29, 1931 now Patent No. 1,983,738 issued December 11, 1934.

One object is to provide a construction which can be made simple and compact.

Another object is to provide a construction which can be operated by one hand without damaging the cigarette.

Another object is to provide a construction which is capable of embodiment in various attractive and ornamental designs suitable for use on the table, or the like.

A special object is to provide an electric lighter with reliable means for forcing air through the cigarette at the instant of lighting.

Another object is to provide a combined ash tray and cigarette lighter.

I have shown the invention as having a housing provided with an igniter located within a chamber in the housing, which igniter is accessible through an opening for the insertion of the cigarette. In addition to the igniter I may provide additional resistance within the chamber which serves to heat and expand the air within the chamber when the current is on.

The expelled air passes through the cigarette and serves not only to stimulate combustion but to force smoke outwardly through the unlighted end of the cigarette and thus indicate that the cigarette has been lighted. A switch is mounted in the casing for turning on and ofi the current to the igniter and heater.

In the form of device herein claimed the casing is provided with a flexible wall or diaphragm connected to the switch actuating member so that by the act of closing or opening the switch the diaphragm may be moved to expel or draw in air through the cigarette in the opening.

Fig. 1 is a transverse sectional view of a form of the device embodying my invention, the circuit being open.

Fig. 2 is a view of the underside of the top member or body of the casing of Fig. 1 and the attached parts.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary section showing the parts of the switch in the closed circuit position.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the igniter unit.

The casing is formed of two parts, the top part being substantially rigid and the lower part flexible, so as to provide a bellows action. The main body or top portion 5 is formed of a casting or moulded composition in the form of a tray with an air chamber beneath and the bottom plate 6 is formed of thin sheet metal, whose rim is supported by a locking wire or split ring I in a groove in the underside of the body.

The igniter unit is formed of a number of small coils 8, having connecting members threaded 5 through an insulating support 9 which has the terminal eyelets ID. This insulating support is secured by screws II to the diaphragm 6 but insulated from the eyelets by bushings I2.

The tubular guide member I3 is connected to 10 the diaphragm, for instance, by the ring 14 and the screws I l and is reciprocable through the top part or body of the casing. This member I 3 is provided with a passage 15 to fit the cigarette and is also provided with a platform or finger- 15 piece 16 by which the member l3 may be moved downwardly against the spring resistance of the diaphragm 6.

This form of device has plug blades or tenninals I! and I8 adapted to be connected into a suitable source of power.

A resistance wire or coil 19 has one end connected to the inner end of the terminal blade ll and the other end connected to a support 20 which in turn is connected by a wire 2i to a stationary switch contact 22. The coil I9 is supported by insulating arms 23 having their ends mounted in studs or pins 24 depending from the top member. Another resistance heater section 25 has one end connected to the terminal plug I8 and the other indirectly connected to the switch contact 26 and, of course, insulated from the top member 5 if the latter is formed of metal. These two contacts 22 and 25 are disposed in line with the switch arms 21 and 28, which are mechanically and electrically connected to the opposite ends of the igniter unit.

Normally the spring of the diaphragm 6 holds the switch in the open circuit position, as shown in Fig. 1. When the tube I3 is pushed downward- 1y or inwardly it carries with it the igniter unit and the switch arms 21 and 28, which simultaneously close the two branches of the circuit leading from the plug blades IT and. I8 to the igniter unit. When the plunger tube I3 is released, the spring action of the diaphragm 6 automatically opens the circuit on both sides, thus afiording a double break in the power circuit.

Of course, as soon as the circuit is closed, current will flow through the heater sections 19 and 25 and through the igniter wire 8 so that the air inside the casing is heated and expands and creates an outward draft through the opening or passage IS. A cigarette being in place in the opening with its lower end against the igniter unit is automatically lighted. The fingerpiece I6 is depressed and held for two or three seconds, allowing the igniter time to become in candescent. The heater meanwhile expands the air and stimulates combustion.

The fingerpiece is then released, and the diaphragm forces more air through the cigarette, thus completing the ignition. One movement is usually sumcient.

As soon as the cigarette is sufliciently lighted, smoke will rise from the upper end of the'cigarette, thus indicating the completion of the operation. Movement of the plunger it up and down may serve to alternately expeland' draw in air through the passage i5 independently of any heater action.

By making the switch arms 2'! and 28 somewhat flexible it is possible to depress the plunger is and close the circuit and then continue the downward movement of the plunger so as to give added suction at the start of the operation. When'the plunger is released the diaphragm 6 automatically rises and forces the air upwardly. The switch arms 27 and 28 are preferably somewhat resilient and assist in lifting the plunger when it is first released.

In this form of device, it is possible to obtain a draft of air through the igniting end of the cigarette regardless of the heating effect produced by the resistance wires of sections l9 and 25. In this particular form, however, the device provides not only the mechanical pulsation due to the diaphragm action but the expansion of air due to the heating of the resistance wires.

By providing the fingerpiece it it is only necessary to insert the cigarette in the guide tube and then press on the fingerpiece, thus avoiding the necessity of pressing on the cigarette which is likely to break it.

While I have shown the device in the form of a tray suitable for use horizontally on a table, it should be understoodthat it is also capable of being mounted vertically.

In the form shown the cigarette can be readily lighted by one hand in the act of inserting the cigarette. The same fingers which insert the cigarette in the opening l5 may press downwardly on the fingerpiece I5 and thus operate the diaphragm and the electric switch.

' The diaphragm can be readily removed by removing the screws H and the split ring i so as to permit inspection, cleaning and'repair or replacement of the igniter unit or switch.

The igniter unit if properly designed can be made to operate on any desired voltage.

When a resilient metallic diaphragm is used the spring efiect required to return the diaphragm to its normal position of rest can be obtained from the diaphragm itself but where the diaphragm is of less resilient or non-resilient material a return spring is desirable and might be in the form of a helix around the tube l3 between the flange l6 and the top of the casing.

Although the igniter unit is preferably carried y the diaphragm it m ght be otherwise supported within the meaning of the broader claims.

Similarly the movable switch member is preferably carried by the diaphragm but the broader claims are intended to cover a construction in which the switch is otherwise supported.

An advantage of the present invention resides in the fact that upon pushing in the actuator and closing the switch, air is sucked into the chamber through the cigar or cigarette. Inasmuch as it takes a second or more for a heater to become hot enough to ignite the tobacco, lighting the cigarette cannot be expected on the instroke of the finger piece or actuator l6. However, upon release of the finger piece the diaphragm 6 returns to the original position shown in Fig. 1 with the result that air is forced out of the chamber past the heater and through the cigarette lighting the cigarette. When constructed as illustrated in Fig. l the diaphragm 6 will possess a quick snap action causing the egress of air from the chamber in a puff lighting the cigarette. Such a construction is preferable to one in which the initial inward movement of the actuator causes an egress of air from the chamber, because the movement of air from the chamber and over the heater is better adapted to ignite the tobacco than is a suction movement.

In this construction the suction movement occurs before the resistance has reached its maximum heat and the outward movement of air from the chamber occurs upon release of the finger piece. In other words one stroke of this device may sufiice to light a cigarette where two strokes of the actuator might be required in a construction where the inward movement of the actuator was accompanied by an expelling of the air instead of by suction.

I claim:

1. A cigarette lighter comprising a casing having a guide passage in its upper wall, a plunger reciprocable through said passage, a switch member carried by said plunger in the casing,'a stationary contact carried by the casing to be engaged by the switch member, a resilient diaphragm forming the bottom of. the casing and adapted to be actuated in one direction by said plunger to force air through said passage, and an igniter unit carried by the diaphragm in line with said passage, said diaphragm being removable to permit cleaning the interior of the casing.

2. In a cigarette lighter, a housing having an air chamber and a movable bottom wall normally flexing inwardly, tubular guiding means for admitting one end of a cigarette into said chamber, at least a part of said tubular guiding means being movable toward and from the chamber, said part being connected to said bottom wall, resistance wire in the housing at least a part of which constitutes an igniter at the inner end of said tubular guiding means, and an electric switch for controlling the flow of current through said resistance wire, said switch having a portion connected to and movable with the movable part of the tubular guiding means so that the ignition is controlled by the movement of the movable part of the tubular guiding means in the act of inserting the cigarette and a spring for retracting the movable part of the guiding means and the movable bottom wall.

3. A cigarette lighter comprising a casing having an opening for the insertion of a cigarette, said opening constituting the only effective exit for air from said casing, electric igniting means mounted within said casing so positioned as to receive the end of a cigarette inserted in said opening, a switch for controlling the circuit through said igniting means, a flexible diaphragm forming one wall of the casing, and means extending through a wall of the casing for flexing the diaphragm, whereby movement of said flexing means in one direction closes the switch and flexes the diaphragm so as to increase the contained volume of the casing, and movement in the opposite direction decreases the contained volume of the casing and forces a current of air outwardly through a cigarette inserted in the opening, and opens the switch.

4. A cigarette lighter comprising a casing having a guide passage in its upper wall, a tubular plunger reciprocable through said passage and adapted to support a cigarette, a switch member carried by said plunger in the casing, a stationary contact carried by the casing to be engaged by the switch member, a resilient diaphragm adapted to be actuated in one direction by said plunger to force air through said passage and an igniter unit carried by the diaphragm in line with said passage.

5. A cigarette lighter comprising a casing having an opening for the insertion of a cigarette, said opening constituting the only efiective exit for air from said casing, electric igniting means mounted within said casing so positioned as to receive the end of a cigarette inserted in said opening, a switch for controlling the circuit through said igniting means, a flexible diaphragm, and means extending through a wall of the casing for flexing the diaphragm whereby movement of said flexing means in one direction flexes the diaphragm so as to change the normal contained volume of the casing, and movement in the opposite direction returns the contained volume of the casing to normal capacity and forces a current of. air outwardly through a cigarette inserted in the opening.

6. In a cigarette lighter, an air tight casing including an upper wall having a central opening, a flexible bottom wall and an air chamber therebetween, said bottom wall normally flexing into the chamber, a tubular member for supporting and guiding a cigarette slidably mounted in the central opening, an igniter member in the air chamber for igniting the end of the cigarette, and an electric switch for controlling the flow of current through said igniter, said switch including a stationary contact on each side of the central opening and spaced spring arms carried by the sliding tubular member adapted to engage the stationary members to close the electric circuit, one end of said tubular member being connected to said flexible bottom wall for flexing the same, said spring arms and bottom wall being so positioned relatively that both tend to return the switch parts to normal inoperative position and simultaneously force air through the cigarette.

7. In a cigarette lighter, an air tight casing including an upper wall, a flexible bottom wall and an air chamber therebetween, said bottom wall normally flexing into the chamber, a tubular member for supporting and guiding a cigarette, an igniter member in the air chamber for igniting the end of a cigarette, and an electric switch for controlling the flow of, current through said igniter, said switch including a stationary contact on each side of spaced spring arms carried by the sliding tubular member to close the circuit, one end of the tubular member being connected to the flexible bottom wall, said spring arms and bottom Wall being so positioned relatively that both tend to return the switch parts to normal inoperative position and simultaneously eject air from the casing and through a cigarette and the like.

LINCOLN K. DAVIS. 

